Official Film Selections Announced

#EOFF2017 Announces Film Selections

Eastern Oregon Film Festival is proud to announce its Official Selections for the 2017 Festival. Spread across five venues (including a 48hr. online program at Filmmaker Magazine), EOFF will run October 19-21, 2017 in La Grande, OR.

The festival will open and close with fiction and nonfiction offerings that explore possibilities of the near-future. Opening night will feature Pete Ohs and Andrea Sisson’s gorgeous desert fable, Everything Beautiful Is Far Away, and the festival will close with Mila Aung-Thwin and Van Royko’s essential documentary about nuclear fusion, Let There Be Light.

OFFICIAL SHORT SELECTIONS

Call Your Father (dir. Jordan Firstman)On Josh and Greg’s first date, they quickly realize that the generational divide between them is the least of their worries.

Death in a Day (dir. Lin Wang)Death in a Day tells the story of Evan, a young Chinese boy who, after visiting his comatose father in the hospital, witnesses his mother’s struggle and must come to grips with the impending death falling upon their family.

Little Brother (dir. Dominique van Ohm)On the edge of adolescence, Dexter visits his sister for the first time in years and together they explore the big city, trying to understand how to relate to one another again.

Manilla Death Squad (dir. Dean Marcial)At the end of 2016, over 6000 drug suspects were killed in the Philippine War on Drugs. In this modern-day “sweet spaghetti” western, an ambitious young journalist attempts to score an interview with the ruthless leader of a violent vigilante group over an increasingly high-stakes drinking game.

Midwife (dir. Blake Salzman)In the near future, a cataclysmic event changes everything. Women are dying rapidly due to a biological attack, causing the government to suspend habeas corpus.

Möbius (dir. Sam Kuhn)Seeking refuge from the law, teen poet Stella tells of the mysterious disappearance of her high school lover Sebastian and the strange deed she was compelled to perform.

Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival (Highlights from the 44th Edition)A compilation of shorts curated by the Northwest Film Center.

Frank & Zed (dir. Jesse Blanchard)
*Unofficial / Work-in-Progress Screening*Centuries ago, a desperate battle left a village wasted, a new bride dead, and two mortal enemies dependent on each other for survival. Frank & Zed is gore-filled puppet horror at its best.

Let There Be Light (dir. Mila Aung-Thwin, Van Royko)In the south of France, scientists from 37 countries are building the most complex machine ever attempted: an artificial sun. If they get it right, it will illuminate the way to produce clean, cheap, abundant energy for millions of years.

Love and Saucers (dir. Brad Abrahams)The strange story of David Huggins, a 72yo Hoboken man who claims to have had a lifetime of encounters with otherworldly beings—including an interspecies romance with an extraterrestrial woman (with whom he lost his virginity), chronicling it all in surreal impressionist paintings.

On the Edge of Freedom (dir. Anita Mathal Hopland, Jens Lengerke)A documentary about two young “roofers” who, without safety harnesses, climb the tallest buildings and deepest abysses in conflict-ridden post-Soviet Russia and Ukraine.

The Pearl (dir. Jessica Dimmock, Christopher LaMarca)Against the backdrop of post-industrial logging towns are four extraordinary transgender women who, having lived in the closet their whole lives, make the decision to transition in their middle and senior years.

The Perfect Selfie (dir. Jenni Salonen, Maryam Razavi)A modern coming of age story in the social media era.

Rat Film (dir. Theo Anthony)A kaleidoscopic documentary that uses the rat to explore the history of Baltimore and expose human boundaries of separation.

The Strange Ones (dir. Lauren Wolkstein, Christopher Radcliffe)Mysterious events surround two travelers as they make their way across a remote American landscape. On the surface all seems normal, but what appears to be a simple vacation soon gives way to a dark and complex web of secrets.

Sylvio (dir. Kentucker Audley, Albert Birney)It’s the story of a small town gorilla, Sylvio, who is stuck in his job at a debt collection agency. Deep down he just wants to express himself with his hand puppet, Herbert Herpels.

What Children Do (dir. Dean Peterson)A comedy about two estranged sisters brought back into each other’s lives by the impending death of their grandmother.

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SPECIAL EVENTS

How a Story Becomes a Movie with Jonathan RaymondPortland-based author Jonathan Raymond’s first novel brought his work to the attention of Kelly Reichardt and together they made four movies, including MEEK’S CUTOFF and NIGHT MOVES. Join Raymond to discuss how a story becomes a movie in this insightful conversation and screenplay workshop.

From Page to Screen with Andy Mingo and Lidia YuknavitchPortland director Andy Mingo will shed light on bringing Chuck Palahniuk’s “Lullaby” to life, and similarly author Lidia Yuknavitch will discuss her award-winning novel, “The Book of Joan.” Both artists will explore media around their projects and discuss the creative process of adapting literature for the silver screen.